Early Life St. Maximilian Kolbe was born Raymond Kolbe in 1894 in Poland, then under the control of the Russian empire. His parents, Julius and Marianne, were pious, yet poor, Catholics. Julius joined the fight for Polish independence, eventually being...
As one of the great early saints and the Father of Western Monasticism, St. Benedict of Nursia has left an indelible legacy on the Catholic Church. His intercession is often invoked through the use of the St. Benedict medal, one...
In the Catholic faith, the three sacraments of initiation (baptism, first communion, and confirmation) allow a person to fully enter into the life of the Church. A catechumen is an individual who is receiving instruction in the principles of the...
Perhaps the most unlikely of patron saints in the Catholic canon is St. Rita of Cascia as the patron saint of baseball. How did a 15th century nun become the intercessor for a 20th century American sport? The answer is...
Since St. Patrick's Day falls during Lent, it seems appropriate to write this year about a lesser known St. Patrick story - his visit to purgatory, the place where those awaiting heaven become cleansed of the effects of sin so...
On February 22, we celebrate the feast of the Chair of St. Peter; no, this does not mean that an inanimate object has been canonized. Rather, this feast day celebrates what the chair, residing in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome...
Of the many supposed Marian apparitions over the centuries, only 16 have been approved by the Vatican. Among these are the most recognizable Marian apparitions, including Our Lady of Guadalupe, Our Lady of Lourdes, and Our Lady of Fatima. However,...
One of the early martyrs, about whom we know little, has become one of the most invoked intercessors of our age: St. Agatha. Because her torture included cutting off her breasts, she has long been considered the patron saint of...
On January 20th, we celebrate the feast day of St. Sebastian, an early Christian martyr and most recognized today as the patron saint of athletes. Sebastian was a devout Christian living in Italy during the era of persecutions. He joined...
